Pages: 413-423
The second half of the 17th century was characterized by aggravation of relations between the Ottoman Empire and the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. Since 1650, Moldavia was a vassal of Turkey. Military-political situation of Bukovina’s lands as a part of Moldavia was characterized by constant interference of Polish and Turkish-Tatar troops in the Moldavian internal Moldavian affairs. Polish kings tried to keep Moldavia under their influence and occasionally sent troops there, that ravaged and plundered primarily borderlands with Poland, especially the territories of Chernivtsi and Khotyn districts. It was the time when the role of Khotyn fortress grew up, which continued to preserve its strategic importance.
So, Bukovina’s land was at the forefront of the struggle between the Ottoman Empire and the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, as during 1650—1699 both countries wished to extend their authority over Moldavia, and therefore — over Bukovina. As a consequence, from the second half of the 17th century, Bukovina was exposed to military and political events, and the authority over the land passed from hand to hand.
Keywords: Bukovina, Moldavia, Poland, the Ottoman Empire, Chernivtsi, military-political relations, Khotyn fortress
Information about author:
Oleksii Balukh (Chernivtsi, Ukraine). Candidate of Historical Sciences. Yuriy Fedkovych Chernivtsi National University. Kotsiubynsky St., 2, Chernivtsi, 58012, Ukraine
E-mail: [email protected]